h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

It looks like I'm going to be living next door to a building site for about the next 12 months. All the buildings along a stretch of my road have been pulled down, and about ten days ago they started clearing the land in readiness for laying some foundations. Bulldozers and JCBs are working all day long, and they start up between 6.30am and 7.00am, six days a week. That doesn't bother me too much because my alarm goes off at 6.30am, seven days a week, and I'm usually awake before that anyway, but on my days off I've lost that quiet peacefulness I used to have, the peacefulness that comes from living in apartment complex, a good way from the road. The buildings that have come down were between these apartments and the road, and there was also a barrier of trees.

Most of which have gone

When I moved to this complex almost 13 years ago, this road was pretty nondescript. Most of the businesses along it were something to do with cars: repairs, brakes, tyres, transmissions, second hand sales, with the odd bar and cafe, nothing fancy. There was even a trailer park. That disappeared about four or five years ago and was replaced by a chain drug store and some condos. About two years after a very upmarket and chi-chi restaurant opened up and was immediately the talk of the town, got all kinds of rave reviews, awards etc. Then another similar one opened almost directly across the road.

Now there are five individual mixed use (retail, office, condos) developments between here and the river (about two miles) in planning, being built or almost finished, including the one next door to me and, crucially, the shopping area that the place I work is in. That one's been on again, off again, on again more times than Liz Taylor's been married, and we still don't know what's happening. The only word we ever seem to get is on the local news.

This road is becoming somewhat trendified

My lease is up in early February and they have to send me a renewal notice at least 60 days beforehand. I usually get it towards the end of November. My rent rarely goes up by more than $5 or $10 a month each year, but a few years ago they tried to put it up $80, explaining that "This is an up and coming area". If they try that on again this time, citing all the developments that are planned or being built I'll politely point out to the them that until this time next year I'm going to have a building site on my doorstep so how about putting my rent *down*?

And one thing that's been commented on in the news is how the traffic is going to be affected with so many extra businesses and dwellings suddenly appearing on a road that's already pretty busy during the rush hour.

In all those 13 years I've lived next door to a Golden Corral, and never once set foot in the place. I'm rather pleased about that

I've been to a couple of Golden Corrals. Not by my personal choice, of course. I can say the food is as horrid as you might imagine. I went for breakfast once and they even managed to make scrambled eggs inedible. I stuck with just fruit as that was the only food I found palatable.

Never heard of a Golden Corral. I've eaten at a Golden Dragon before.

They are a chain of cheap buffets/"steak" houses.

There's a reason why all-you-can-eat food is so bad.

I'm going to be living opposite a building site for a while too, although for a much shorter period of time. A patch of land has (finally!) been sold off for two pairs if semi-detached houses.

Would you consider moving?

puts me in mind of the Golden Egg that were so popular in the 70s in the UK

Golden Egg I'd forgotten all about those.

I'd rather not move if I can help it, Vip. I've been in this complex since December 2000 and I've stayed here because I like (very few loud parties), because it's (relatively) inexpensive and because it's handy for several things, including (but not limited to) buses to work, buses downtown, a couple of useful food shops/supermarkets, a Target, a pretty decent diner, and there's a bar across the road which opened about two years ago. It's more of a restaurant really but it's run by the same people who own a local brewpub so the beer selection is right up my street, although the food is on the wrong side of cheap. It's okay, but I'm always wary of food prepared for cost rather than quality. Trying to get across that busy road to get to to it can be a bit though, and double on the way back after a few They also have a cask on the bartop at least once a month

Sounds like they've just started up. I thought they'd have the day off, what with it being a public holiday and all, and not just any public holiday but the one that's supposed to honour the working man and woman - Labour Day. Not that Labour Day means anything if you're a working man or woman involved in retail or the service industry (or construction, apparently). It's just another day, and you don't get paid extra for working when everyone else has the day off

Oh good grief, they're working Sundays as well now And just as we get our first nice (ie, below 75°F) morning for about four months which means I can finally leave the a/c off and open the windows (at least for a few hours until it warms up outside) and get some fresh air in here